The embodiment of compassion, Kwan Yin is known as “she who hears the cries of the world.” One of Buddhism’s most beloved bodhisattvas, she also holds a special place in the hearts of people of other faiths, including Daoists and Confucianists.

Kwan Yin is the protector of women, children, sailors, fishermen, anyone in trouble, and the sick, disabled, and poor. Some Buddhist schools present her as male and female interchangeably. The idea is that a bodhisattva—a being of great realization who vows to forego enlightenment until all sentient beings are liberated—can manifest in whatever form will most effectively free beings from suffering.